Care Instructions

Instructions before IV or Oral Sedation

Nothing to eat or drink prior to surgery

It is important that you DO NOT EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING for a period of 6 hours before your surgery appointment. This includes no food, water, coffee, soda, etc. for the 6 hours. Children less than 4 years old also should not eat or drink anything for 6 hours prior to surgery; however they may have clear fluids (water, clear juices, or breast milk) up to 2 hours before surgery.

Medications

You should take any daily medications that you regularly take. Take these medications at the time of day you usually do. This includes medicines for high blood pressure, water pills, heart pills, aspirin, Coumadin, and any other daily medications (including inhalers), except those for diabetes. When taking these medicines, you may take a small sip of water to swallow them. Also, be sure to take any medications prescribed by your surgeon. If you have diabetes, your surgeon will review with you how to manage your oral diabetic medications and/or your insulin.

Someone to assist you

You must arrange for a responsible adult, older than 18 years of age, to accompany you to the office. They must remain in the waiting room while you have surgery and are not to leave the office during this time. They must also stay with you for the rest of the day to watch over you and help take care of you.

Clothing

Please wear comfortable, casual clothes with short sleeves. If it is cold outside, wear a removable jacket. Short sleeves make the IV placement easier and blood pressure readings more accurate.

Contact Lenses

Do not wear contact lenses to the office, but do bring your glasses so that you can read and sign paperwork if needed.

Fingernail polish

Dark nail polish interferes with the monitor that measures the amount of oxygen in your blood. If you are wearing dark nail polish, please remove it from at least one finger.

Jewelry

You must remove any jewelry in and around the mouth, especially any lip rings or tongue studs.

Teeth Post‑Operative Instructions

Patients who have undergone I.V. sedation should be carefully attended by a responsible person for 12 to 24 hours (through first night) after leaving the office. The patient is not permitted to drive the day of surgery.

BLEEDING ‑ Bleeding follows any surgery and should not alarm you unless it is excessive or persistent. Remove the gauze that is present upon discharge from the office after one hour. If bleeding is excessive or persistent it may be controlled by placing a firm roll of gauze directly over the bleeding area and exerting continuous pressure for one hour by closing the teeth firmly together. Repeat if necessary. Keeping your head slightly elevated will also help. Place a towel over the pillowcase as there will be some oozing from the mouth.

DISCOMFORT‑ A certain amount of discomfort is to be expected. This varies with the amount of surgery required. It is usually controlled effectively by the medications that are prescribed. Try to eat something before taking these medications unless otherwise directed. The first dose of pain medication should be taken before the local anesthetic has had time to wear off completely. If a long-acting local anesthetic has been used there maybe numbness for ten hours or more. If you are not allergic to Ibuprofen (Advil, etc.), 600 mg. can be taken every six hours in addition to the prescribed pain medication to limit discomfort and swelling.

SWELLING AND DISCOLORATION ‑ These are part of the healing process, and unless extreme, are of no concern. Use an ice bag on your face continuously for 12 hours on the day of surgery only. The earlier this is started the more effective it will be. Swelling is usually the greatest 48 to 72 hours after surgery. It is helpful to keep the head elevated on two pillows the first night after surgery.

DIET ‑ For your own comfort, consume cool or warm liquids and/or very soft foods, including “Instant Breakfast” and broth as long as it is not piping hot. Milk shakes, pudding, custard and ice cream can also be eaten the day of surgery. Do not use a straw to drink thick liquids. After the first day, food should be soft or mashed with a fork before eaten. This should be done until the first post‑operative visit or until all soreness is gone. DO NOT rinse your mouth until the following morning as this could dislodge the blood clot and delay healing. DO NOT use regular full-strength mouthwash. Brush teeth as usual except for the surgical sites.

SMOKING and DRINKING alcoholic beverages have been proven to delay healing and in some cases, to cause undue post-operative pain. Smokers have more healing problems and dry-sockets than non‑smokers!

DO NOT SMOKE FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS.

Dry sockets cause undue pain, usually starting 3 to 4 days after surgery. Pain medication usually does not help the pain. Call for an earlier appointment for pain relief if this happens.

Call this office regarding any complications. Do not call your physician or your regular dentist.

Biopsy Post‑Operative Instructions

Patients who have undergone I.V. sedation should be carefully attended to by a responsible person for 24 hours (through first night) after leaving the office. The patient is not permitted to drive the day of surgery or while taking narcotic pain medications.

BLEEDING ‑ Bleeding follows any surgery and should not alarm you unless it is excessive. Remove any gauze that is present upon discharge from the office after one hour. If bleeding continues, it may be controlled by placing a firm roll of gauze directly over the bleeding area and exerting continuous pressure for one hour. Repeat if necessary.

DISCOMFORT‑ A certain amount of discomfort is to be expected. This varies with the amount of surgery required. It is usually controlled effectively by the medications that are prescribed. Eating something before taking these medications may help avoid nausea. The first dose of pain medication should be taken before the local anesthetic has had time to wear off completely. If you are not allergic to Ibuprofen (Advil, etc.), 600 mg. can be taken every six hours in addition to the prescribed pain medication to limit discomfort and swelling.

SWELLING AND DISCOLORATION – These are part of the healing process and peak at 2 to 3 days after surgery. Unless it is extreme, there is no cause for concern.

DIET ‑ Please do not eat anything until the numbness has worn off completely to minimize the possibility of biting into the numb area. After the numbness has worn off, you may resume a fairly normal diet, just avoiding any tough/crunchy or spicy foods.

BRUSHING AND RINSING – Unless the biopsy was performed on the gums, normal brushing can take place. If the gum was biopsied, please refrain from brushing that area for at least 24 hours.

LABORATORY COSTS – Your biopsy specimen will be sent to a pathologist to be examined. That facility will bill you, or your insurance company if applicable. This is a separate charge from our office and is not included in your surgery cost. We will make every effort to send the specimen to an in-network laboratory that is on your insurance. The doctor does retain the right to send the specimen to a specialist, an oral pathologist, if he feels it is medically necessary.